Signal apparatus.



No. 699,582; Patented May 6, I902.

S. C. SHAFFNEB.

SIGNAL APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jan.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

Jive/admit No. 699,582. Patented May 6, I902.

s; c. SHAFFNER.

SIGNAL APPARATUS. (Application filed Jan. 9, 1902'.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. 1

m: nonqls PETERS 00., PHOTO-LITHOV, wnsmNr-ron. ay 0 (No Model.)

S. c. SH AFFNER; SIGNAL APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1902.)

Patn ted May 6, I902 3-Sheets-Shget 3.

' UNITE STATE .ATEENT SAMUEL C. SHAFFNER, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

" SIGNAL APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,582, dated May 6, 1902. Application filed January 9, 1902. Serial No. 89,062- (No model.)

Improvements inSignal Apparatus; andI'do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, which will enable others skilled in the art towhieh it appertainstomalze'and use the-same.

This invention relates to apparatus com prising a means of signalingto police officers by means of which a signal maybe sent over the usual telephone or signal system from a central station 'to any-street telephone or signal box calling from a distance the police oflicer who is on duty in the districtin which the box is located. The signal will be audible by day and visual by night and will be 0p erated by an electric current sent overthe usual telephone or signal'circuit by the operator in the central station.' The day-signal will consist of a powerful electric bell directly operated by current sent over the wires of the telephone or signal system. The night signal will consist of means whereby a'street light or lights adjacent or removed from the street telephone or signal box may be extin guished and a signal light or lights (preferably colored) ignited by the action of a switch operated by current sent over the telephone or signal circuit. This switch will be positively actuated by an electrically-operated device from the central station and will remain in operative position until reset by the act of opening the telephone or signal box door by the officer in answering the call.

The invention relates to means whereby three or more street-boxes or sets of boxes may be actuated through one or double Wire telephone or signal system to the use of condensers in the circnit to prevent loss of current and to the use of a separate box for holding the switch and actuating mechanism placed some distance from the telephone or signal box, so' as to reduce the liability of accident to .the policeofliccr from high-tension street-lighting currents.

The invention also relates to details of improvement, as will more fully appear in this specification and the claims appended.

In order to better understand the nature ofmy invention, attention is called to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 represents a diagram of the actuating and lighting circuits of three different street-boxes.' Fig. 2'is a front View of the preferred form of street-box. Fig. 3 is a section on thelineacocof Fig. Fig. lisa front view of a modified form of box. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 1 y of Fig. 4; and Fig. (3. is a diagram of the light-circuits, showing a modification of Fig. l.

In all the several views like parts are designated by similar letters and numerals of reference. I

i Fig. 1 represents a diagram of the circuits, signals, and switches of three street-boxes, (indicated by the lettersA', B, and 0, respectively,') controlled by a circuit in the wires 1 the same numerals of reference, differentiating the parts in box B by the addition of a prime-mark and in box 0 bya double prime In this figure the box A is supposed to bein the normal condition and the street-lamp 3, adjacent thereto, is burning and the signallamp 4 extinguished. The switch of the box B is in the position it will assumeaftera signal has been sentviz'., the street-lamp 3' is extinguished and the signal-lamp 4 lighted. In both boxes the door is closed. In the box 0 the door is supposed to be open, such action, as will be hereinafterrdescribed, resetting the switch and also extinguishing the signal-light 4C and relighting thestreet-lamp 3". After the box-door is closed the parts will assume the position illustrated at A. The box A is shown as being controlled by a circuit which passes through the wire 1 and ground 27. Box 13 is controlled by a circuit which passes through the wire 2 and ground, and box Cis controlled by a circuit which passes through both wires 1 and 2 in multiple, thus forming three systems of boxes. The number ofboxes in each system may be multiplied indefinitely; but to prevent confusion only one ofeach class is illustrated. At each box and controlled therefrom is an arc-light 3 3 3 of the street-service 5, and an incandescent signallight' i l 4 also in the same circuit. The

trolling-switch, (shown generally at D D D,).

a bell 6 6 6, and a three-pole switch 7 7 7 of the usual form to cut in either bellorlight operating mechanism. The bells 6 6' 6 are preferably polarized. The controlling-switch is actuated bya polarized vibrator S 8 8, similar to the striking mechanism of the bell. This vibrator is arranged to trip the switch D D D by engaging with a latch 9 0 9 against the tension of a spring 11 11 11" and change contact from the plate 12 12 12 to the plate 13 13' 13" in each switch.

14 14: 14 are contacts at the pivoting-point ,of the switch-arms 10 10.

The lighting-circuit at box A is by way of the wire 15, contact 12, arm 10, contact- 14:, wire 16 to street-light 3 and back to main 5, short-circuiting the signal-light 4:. In the box B the switch-arm 10, shown as being released in the manner to be hereinafter described and forced by its spring 11 to a position to engage with the contact 13, the circuit will be by signal-lamp 4, wire 16 to contact 14, arm 10 to contact 13, thence by wire 17 to main 5, short-circuiting the lamp 3, which will not burn. In the box 0, the switch parts being the same as in box A, the circuits will be the sameviz., street-light3 will be burni-ng and signal-light 4 will be extinguished. It will be noticed that the wires 1515 15" act as short circuits for the signal-lamps 4: t 4 when the switch-arms 1O 10' 10" are in contact with the points 12 12 12 and that the wires 17 17 17 serve the same purpose for the street-lamps 3 3 3 by way of the arms 10 10 10 and the contacts 13 13 13, the wires 16 16 16 serving as common returns.

The exciting-current for the circuits 1 and 2 is generated in any manner, as by a magneto-electric machine 18. Any suitable source of alternating current of slow frequency and sufficient intensity maybe used, it being understood that the wires 1 and 2 form part of the police telephone or signal system and are always charged. The usual police telephone or signal apparatus, with automatic signal, is

I located in each box.

lows: At box A the switch 7 is connected to 1 other pole of the condenserconnects with the ground at 27. With the switch in the position shown the circuit will be through the vibrator 8. At box' B the circuits are the same, with the exception that the wire 2 connects with the switch 7 by the wire 30. In

box 0 both ends of the circuit are in contact with the wires 1 and 2 by. the wires 29 and 30. It is to be noted that a condenser is located in each box-circuit, so that the telephone system will not be short-circuited. It follows that box A will be controlled bya circuit which passes through the wire 1 and the ground, that box B will be controlled by a circuit flowing through the wire 2 andground, and that box 0 will be controlled by a circuit flowing through both wires 1 and 2. As shown in Fig. 1, the sockets 22 22" are connected with wire 2 and ground 23, so that box B is in circuit. It is obvious that boxes A and C may be placed in circuit by shifting the plugs 20 20 to the other contacts 22 22".

As before described, the switch-arms 10 are held in contact with the plate 12 bythe latch 9 against the tension of the spring 11. Upon the latch being released from the arm by the action of the vibrator 8 itwill be moved to engage with the contact 13, as shown at box B, Fig. 1. The arm is returned to its first position by mechanism actuated bythe opening of the door of the box, which mechanism is to this extent automatic. Asshown in Fig. 1, this mechanism consists of a rod 31, mounted so as to freely slide above the free end of the arm 10. One extremity of the rod 31 is arranged to be engaged by the closing of the door. The rod is normally retracted, by a spring 32.

33 is an offset on the rod, adapted to engage with and move the arm 10 during the retracv tion of the rod 31.

As shown at boxes A and B, the door is supposed to be closed. At box C it is open to allow the telephone or signal to be used. Upon the door being opened the spring 32", shown at box 0, will force the rod 31 outward, causing the oifset 33 to engage with'the arm 10 and move it from engagement with the contact 13 to the contact 12" and cause it to engage with thelatch 9 and be there held against retraction. Upon the door being closed the rod will be moved to the position shown at boxes A and B, which closing of the door will not affect the position of the arm 10 until the latch 9 is actuated, as at box B.

The preferred mechanical arrangement of the switch is shown in Figs. 2 and 3,in which most of the mechanism is in box 34, arranged some distance above thecusual telephone or signal box 35. This is to place the switch in a separate box, thus avoiding all danger to the person using the telephone or signal box by the action of high-tension street-lighting currents. As shown in Fig. 2, the bell (3 is horizontal. The vibrator 8 is vertical and is arranged immediately in front of the condenser 26. The bells or gongs are sufficiently large to make an audible signal capable of beingheard several city squares. The 'control-circuit comes into the box 34 at one side near the top,-and the wires are secured to the insulator 36. The street-circuits 15 1617 enter the box from the opposite side and are secured to an insulator 37. By arranging the two circuits on the opposite sides of the box' there is less danger of short-circuiting the two systems.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the rod 31 is vertical and the switch-arm 1O horizontal, a modification of the arrangement illustratedin Fig. 1. The rod 31 isactuated by mechanism contained in the telephone or signal box 35. This mechanism consists of abell-cranklever 38, mounted in a bracket 39 and connected to a short horizontal rod 40. The spring 2 is connected to the bell-crank lever in lieu of the direct connection shown in Fig. 1. 41 is an adjusting-screw for the spring. The parts are so arranged that the door 42 will engage when closed with thepin or rod 40, move the bell-crank lever upon its pivot against the tensionof the spring 32, and will cause the,

it to its elevated position. The rod 31 passes through a casing 43 to protect it and also the circuit-wires l and 2 to the telephone within the lower box. The bell-crank lever 38 and actuating mechanism are so disposed within the box as to be out of the way of the usual telephone.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 the signal-switch is arranged in'the same box with the telephone, the boxbeing sufficiently enlarged to permit this to be done. The rod 31 is arranged in somewhat the same'manner as illustrated in'Fig. 1 and previously described in connection therewithviz., the rod 31 is horizontal and has an encircling spiral spring 32 and an abutment or lug 33, which engages the freeextremity of the switch-arm 10. Asufficient space is left at 44 for the usual telephone instrument. This is not a preferred construction, unless the street-lighting system be of lowtension.

The operation of the entire system will be obvious, it being understood that an audible or visual signal is actuated'in any of the desired stations in the manner described, which signal remains in operation until the door of the box is opened, when the mechanism will be returned to the normal position.

In this specification I have described the mechanism for releasing or tripping the street-light switch as being polarized. This device, as before described, preferably conthe opening "of sists of the striking-mechanism of a bell with the gongs removed. The advantage of this arrangement is twofold. First, I am enabled to secure a very powerful and reliable releasing mechanism, :which' is already on the market, which with but slight change may be used in my device. Second, the blow given by a polarized actuating mechanism is much harder than could be secured if the actuator were not'polarized; This is ofgreat 1 importance, as the switch-retaining latch'may be constructed to yield to a comparatively heavy blow only, thus making accidental releases impossible by the action of the wind on'the signal or lighting wires or by a pass ing trolley-car. v I

In the foregoing specification Ihave described my invention as used for a police-signal system; but I desireit to be understood claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

'1. In a signal'apparatus, the combination with the electric street-lightin g system, of the '95 --Having described my invention, WhatI street telephone or signal 'syst'em and a switch operated by the latter for affecting the former.

f 2. In a street telephone or signal system,-i and a switch operated by the latter for affecting the former, and mechanical means for resetting the switch. 1 i

3. In a signal apparatus, the combination with the electric street-lighting system,ja street signalboxfan electrically operated switch therein for affecting the street'-light-- ing system, and a mechanical connection between said box and switch for .resettingthe latter.

signal apparatus,- the combination with the electric street-lighting system, of the 4. In a signal apparatus, the combination with the electric street lighting-system,'ta

street signalbox, an" electrically operated switchtherein foraffecting 'the street-light ing system, and a mechanism controlled: by

switch.

5. In a signal apparatus, the combination with the'street-lighting system, a-street signal-box, an electrically-operated switch'therein, controlling mechanism for "said switch, a

the box door'for resetting the street-lamp in the street-circuit, a signallamp in shunt therewith, electrical connections between said switch and signal-lamp so that the operation of the switch will extin-' guish the street-lamp and ignite the signallamp, and mechanical connections between said box and'switch for resetting'the latter.

6. In a signal apparatus, the combination I with the streetlighting system, a central oflice, the st reetsignal controlled therefrom, a series of street signal boxes thereon, switches within the boxes electrically operated from the central office, the said switches switches affecting the street-lighting system,

and mechanical connections between said boxes and switches for resetting the latter.

8. In a signal apparatus, the combination with the street-lighting system, a central office,a two-wire street signal system controlled therefrom, a series of street signal-boxes, some of said boxes being connected with one wire and the ground, and the remainder being connected with the other wire and the ground, switches within the boxes electrically operated from the central office, the said switches affecting the street-lighting system,

and mechanical connections between said boxes and switches for resetting the latter.

9. In a signal apparatus, the combination with the street-lighting system, a central office,a two-wire street signal system controlled therefrom, a series of street signal-boxes, some of'said boxes being connected with the first wire and the ground, other of said boxes being connected with the second wire and the ground, and the remainder being connected to both Wires, switches within the boxes electrically operated from the central office, the said switches affecting the street-lighting system, and mechanical connections between said boxes and switches for resetting thelatter.

10. In a signal apparatus, the combination with the street-lighting system, a central 0ffice, a street signal system controlled therefrom, a series of street signal-boxes thereon, switches within the boxes for affecting the street-lighting system, a polarized actuating device for each switch in circuit with the street-signal system, a condenser in each box, means for passing a suitable actuating-current'of electricity over the signal system for energizing the actuating device, and mechanical connections between each box and switch for resetting the latter.

11. In a signal apparatus, the combination with the street-lighting system, a central office, a street signal system controlled therefrom, signal-boxes thereon, a switch and an audible alarm within the box, both being electrically operated from the central ofiice, the said switch affecting the lighting system, and mechanical connections between said box and switch for resetting the latter.

12. In a signal apparatus, a signal-box, a

door, a switch, the said switch having a movable arm, a latch, electrically-operated means for actuating the latch to release the arm, and mechanical connections actuated by the door for returning the arm to engagement with the latch. 13. In a signal apparatus, a signal-box, a door, a switch, the said switch having a movable arm, a latch, electrically-operated means for actuating the latch to release the arm, a rod actuated by the door having an offset or lug for returning the arm to engagement with the latch.

14. In a signal apparatus, a signal-box, a door thereon, a switch-box, a switch therefor, said switch having a movable arm, and an electrically-operated latch therefor, and mechanical. connections between said box-door and switch-arm for returning it to engagement with the latch, a

'15. In a signal apparatus, a signal-box, a door thereon, a switch-box, a switch therefor, said switch having a movable arm and an electrically-operated latch therefor,a movable rod connecting the two boxes, and engaging with the switch-arm, and a bell-crank lever within the signal-box actuated by the door of the latter.

16. In a signal apparatus, the combination with the street-lighting system, a street signal-box, a switch therein for affecting the street-lighting system, a latch for holding the switch in signaling inoperative position, po larized means for tripping the latch and mechanical means for resetting the switch.

This specification signed and witnessed this 7th day of January, 1902.

SAMUEL O. SI-IAFFNER.

Witnesses:

H. WV. SHIEBs, L. S. RUBIRA. 

